Pharrell Williams is one of the latest Celebrities to get a star with his name on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which just turned 55 years old this month. Over 2,500 celebrities have a star on Hollywood Boulevard and there's even an app for fans to get around. But how do you get to put your name on immortal ground?
"We select about 24 celebrities a year, and we get over 300 applications", says Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame for the past 27 years. There are 5 categories, so the average is 3 or 4 names selected in each category.
"The sponsorship, if selected, is $30,000," she tells me, at the 12th annual awards media information center, located on the TCL Chinese Theater. "Half of the money goes to the repairs and maintenance of the stars, the other half goes to the ceremony and the unveiling, the making of the star," she adds.
And by sponsorship, she means stars have to pay. Money is not probably the cause, but some stars have been selected and never showed up. That's why you won't find a star for music legend Madonna, nor for award-winning actor George Clooney or acclaimed actor and director Clint Eastwood. "They were selected many years ago but they have not set a date for their ceremony. So I'm always pushing their agents, 'can you do a ceremony soon?', she indicates.
The committee meets once a year, in June, and selects the next batch of celebrities to get a star. Fans can keep up with the events on the Walk of Fame website and through Ana's Twitter account, WofStargirl.
Every time a star is added, the ceremony attracts a lot of attention and fans. It's a free event, so the fans love it, Ana says.
"It is the closest they can get to a celebrity." And the Walk of Fame star, she adds, "is the only award that can be shared with the fans," who can sit next to it and take pictures. "Sometimes, if they're lucky, they'll be in town for a star ceremony and they'll get to shake the hand of a celebrity. It's a very fun, iconic part of our world in Hollywood right now."
Ana started her work right out of college, at a time when the Walk of Fame was not as popular as it is now.
She started her career at the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and worked with radio personality Johnny Grant. Together, they started hyping up the star ceremonies and attracted more fans. "It is a fan event," she reckons.
